


Risk

by aria_vitali



Series: Collections of History Unwritten [14]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Tragedy, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Injury, Loss of Control, Love, Love Confessions, Sacrifice, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22414009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aria_vitali/pseuds/aria_vitali
Summary: Or writing prompt: "Being pulled away from their limp body, kicking and screaming"
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone & Warrior of Light, Haurchefant Greystone/Original Character(s), Haurchefant Greystone/Original Female Character(s), Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Series: Collections of History Unwritten [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541752
Kudos: 20





	Risk

If there was one thing that Aymeric and Estinien could agree on, it’s the fact that the overwhelming despair felt by the Warrior of Light cannot be rivaled.

They were surprised Aria was able to hold on until his final breath. For the sake of the man that granted her, Master Alphinaud and Mistress Tataru asylum on their darkest day, she had fought for Ishgard; that was the reasoning that everyone thought was the origin of her goodwill. If it were not for Haurchefant’s insatiable curiosity towards adventurers, particularly that of Aria’s life, they wouldn’t have discovered that both she and Stryder are the grandchildren of House Lukos.

In fact, there were _a lot_ of things that would have gone differently had Haurchefant not befriended the Warrior of Light. Ishgard would not have a stout ally against the heretics, they would have scant methods of combating the primal threats that are emerging - much less know primal activity was rising to begin with - and the shameful thousand year lie perpetuated by the church would continue to plague their homeland.  
On a more personal level, Aymeric and Estinien would not have befriended a woman as loyal and loving as she. They would not be able to bear witness to her talents in many combative and arcane arts nor would they find someone they _enjoy_ bantering with that wasn’t each other. If it wasn’t for her, Ishgard would have fallen to the Dravanians long ago.

The lord commander and the Azure Dragoon knew that there were sentiments beyond friendship developing between Aria and Haurchefant. Whenever Aria was visiting, her first stop would always, _always_ be Camp Dragonhead regardless of the weather. They even heard that she had participated and helped create a new training regiment to better suit the knights of House Fortemps. Everyone liked Haurchefant. Everyone liked Aria.

Everyone liked the idea of them together.

Aymeric had the pleasure of having a private conversation with Haurchefant amidst his arguments with Count Edmont on whether to shelter the Scions after the banquet of Ul’dah. They shared an evening filled with spirits and ale at the upper floor of the Forgotten Knight with the Fortemps son steadily becoming rowdier as the night hours passed. It was at this time that Haurchefant began spilling his not-so-closely-guarded secrets.

“Fury take me, I think I love her,” Haurchefant stated as he appeared to be having an epiphany.  
Aymeric chuckled as he poured another glass of mulled wine. “Pray tell who has been in your good graces.”  
“Who else but the Warrior of Light?” Haurchefant answered, mildly affronted he needed to even _confirm_ what he thought was common knowledge.  
This made Aymeric laugh louder. “Oh? She is something, I will agree. A formidable ally and a knowledgeable companion.”  
“She likes butterflies,” Haurchefant stated.  
Aymeric blinked. “Pardon?”  
Haurchefant grinned. “Aria loves butterflies, how delicately they fly and dance in the air. She adores sweets with crème brûlée being her favorite dessert. Her favorite books involve romance but put emphasis on the characters’ growth. Oh, and she agrees that hot cocoa cannot go without marshmallows on top!”

Aymeric’s eyes were wide with shock and confusion as he eyed Haurchefant as if he grew a second head. Yet, the maniacal smile that the lord had as he recounted what he had learned of the Warrior softened, just as his eyes did. To the lord commander, he was reminded of that expression in a way that he occasionally felt with Estinien - a look of admiration and fondness. However, in this case, the sentiments were tinged with romantic affection.

“You … seem to know quite a bit of the Warrior, Lord Haurchefant,” Aymeric commended.  
Haurchefant hummed. “She also told me that the eyes are the gateway to a person’s soul.”  
“Did she now?” Aymeric raised a brow, his attention captured.  
Haurchefant nodded. “Aye. So I looked to hers. Ever since then, I have always been meaning to ask her a single question.”  
“And what might that be?”

Haurchefant took pause to contemplate how to answer. He parted his lips and closed them, seeming unsatisfied with how the question was formed in his head. Aymeric was patient, taking sips from his drink in the meanwhile. After a spell, the knight looked to him in all seriousness.

“’Why...why do you always look so afraid?’”

Aymeric understood now the reason to why he wanted to ask the question. 

The lord commander saw the moment that the light in Aria’s eyes had dimmed and tears began running down her cheeks. He watched as a soft healing light glowed from her hands over Haurchefant’s wound. He heard the wails and screams, the begging and the pleas that escaped her lips for him not to leave. He could do nothing as he witnessed Aria shaking the lord’s shoulders as if trying to wake him up.

It was then that Stryder, her older brother, stepped towards his sister and did what no one else could. The man pulled Aria back by both her arms to separate her from Haurchefant’s body. The Warrior’s cries became louder and higher in pitch to which Estinien visibly shook at the sound of it. He had heard her song - one filled with grief and promises of vengeance.

Even as Aria flailed her limbs to escape her brother’s hold, Stryder held his concentration and kept her back with all his might. As the Temple Knights loyal to Aymeric arrived and removed Haurchefant’s body, Aria continued to cry to the heavens in a way that assured all that heard it that her sorrow will be engraved into the Vault’s stones for generations to come. 

For a bell she screamed until she could scream no more.

As the company was to depart from the Vault, Stryder had held Aria close as he lifted her in his arms. The woman was passed out cold then, having fallen unconscious from the overwhelming emotional and physical exhaustion that took hold of her. It wasn’t until they were all about to go their separate ways - Aymeric, Lucia and Estinien to the Congregation of Knights Most Holy and Stryder with Aria to the Fortemps manor - that the lord commander had the resolve to call out to the elder Vitali.

“Master Stryder, she is-,” he managed to get out.  
Stryder stopped but didn’t face the native Ishgardians. “For all my sister is capable of, she is still but a single mortal. Lord Haurchefant understood this...and took care with her.”

Aymeric’s eyes widened ever so slightly at his comment, but was given no quarter as Stryder continued to speak.

“Aria has always been terrified of becoming close to others in the fear that they will be lost to her. Mother, Father … then the insult given by Lucien... The lord was her life raft, the salvation she needed to gain the courage to try again. She _loved_ him, Ser Aymeric, and now she has to, once again, let go.”

Stryder took a few more steps onward before pausing to make one last comment.

“...Next time, consider the consequences of your actions. Lest it falls to the ones supporting you that suffers.”

Lucia was just about ready to jump after the Vitali as he began walking away, but was stopped when Aymeric stretched an arm out to bar her way. Estinien looked towards the lord commander.

“You did what you thought was best for Ishgard,” he tried assuring him.

Aymeric inclined his head, taking in a deep breath before walking towards the Congregation. He knew that he would be branded a heretic. He was aware that it wasn’t going to be easy. The lord commander knew how aware his companions were of the risks to his decisions. He thought he was ready to make the necessary sacrifice needed to bring the truth to light.

  
But the last thing Aymeric expected was to see the shattering of a heart.


End file.
